Joe Flacco Breaks Silence on Browns Future

All eyes are on Joe Flacco as the NFL's free agency period begins on March 13.

The 39-year-old quarterback is set to hit the open market after joining the Cleveland Browns on a one-year deal back in December. Flacco instantly became a local hero in Cleveland, leading the Browns to a 4-1 record and their first postseason berth since 2020. Naturally, the fanbase is wondering if the veteran is willing to run it back one more time in 2024.

There's been a ton of discussion regarding whether Flacco will stay or go this offseason. Fortunately, the former Super Bowl MVP decided to clear the air on Wednesday.

Spoiler alert: Browns fans are going to love this.

Browns News: Cleveland is Flacco's "First Choice"

Flacco appeared on Sirius XM NFL Radio on Wednesday to discuss his free agency future. The 2023 Comeback Player of the Year didn't beat around the bushes, saying that "Cleveland is definitely that place I would feel the best about" regarding potential destinations, per NFL insider Dov Kleiman.

Flacco went on to discuss how "special" the city has been to both him and his family, further stoking the flames regarding a potential re-signing.

"Cleveland is an unbelievable place, and it will hold a special value when I make those decisions."

- Joe Flacco

It isn't a secret that the Browns could use a reliable backup QB like Flacco behind Deshaun Watson on the depth chart. Cleveland struggled to win games with P.J. Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center until the Voorhees, NJ native made his franchise debut in December.

With the Browns' season looking lost, Flacco was instrumental in turning things around. He led the team to a 4-1 record across five regular season starts, averaging a career-high 323.2 passing yards per game while throwing 13 touchdowns to six interceptions. Cleveland didn't go on a deep playoff run, but the season could've ended on a worse note had it not been for his efforts.

Time will tell if the special place Cleveland holds in Flacco's heart is enough to convince him to re-sign. Spotrac lists the Browns as having just over $2.4 million in cap space, which should be enough to bring him back if he's open to a team-friendly deal. Of course, general manager Andrew Berry can always restructure contracts and cut players to create more space.

Whether Flacco stays or goes, Browns fans won't forget what he did last season. Hopefully, he's willing to make even more memories in Cleveland on one last ride.

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